This is the story of my morning.
This morning I got up as usual, got my shower and was about ready to walk out the door when I heard Stacy say "I have no hot water". I thought to myself, "hmmm, I didn't take that long of a shower, did I?". In fact I had not. I went outside to check out the situation and saw water spraying from the bottom of our hot water heater. Crap!
My task: Assess the problem and stop the water flow.
The ground was soaked, but warm. It is obvious that the pressure change during my shower caused it to burst and that I was lucky enough to have been finishing my shower before it became cold.
We have an ancient enclosure around our water heater. Not to mention the heater itself was sold in 1983. Yeah, it's time for a new but hopefully not today. I worked loose some screws in the ancient crypt of an enclosure and found the source of the water. I couldn't stop it. What to do next? Turn off the valve right? It was rusted shut and all the tools I could find wouldn't budge the damned thing. All of my large pliers were missing, so I headed to Walmart. At this point it was 6:35, which is usually my deadline for making it to work on time. I would not be on time today.
Walmart is only one mile away, so it was a quick trip. I grabbed what I needed, bolted home and turned the valve. No water stopped. Surely that was because the tank was emptying..... Nope. It never stopped. The valve did nothing, so I cut off the water to the entire house, called a plumber, and proceeded to removed the crypt covering. It took my for ever! Not to mention I got my work clothes all muddy. But in the end I got the enclosure removed and threw it aside.
I went inside and attempted to wash off the mud. No go. Remember, I cut the water off. This would be the first of about fifteen times that I reached to turn on the water, yet none flowed. I managed to get semi clean, changed into fresh clothes, and headed to work. The Plumber was supposed to give me a 30 minute heads up. Of course I was about 1 mile from my house when he called. That would have been quite fortuitous had he actually been on the way. Unfortunately his message that he would arrive in about 30 minutes was full of false hope. About an hour and 15 minutes later I get a call from their dispatcher that they are running behind but it will be another 30 minutes. I tell him that is fine. An hour later; same call, same apology, same delay.
The repairman doesn't arrive until after 10:00. He walks around back, sees the dilapidated crypt remains and the 1983 heater and immediately launches into a sales pitch for a new tankless heater that he can install...only about 3 grand. WTF!!! I said, "so you cant fix this one". He says, "oh, I can fix it". Then he looks in his book and finds a page that quotes $475 and says "oh, that cant be right". I'm about to laugh at this point. He then finds the correct page. Quote is $94. That is more my speed. I tell him that if you can do it for $94, then do it. It takes him a long time, but then he finishes. I pay and ask him to help me put the crypt cover back on. He does and it almost falls apart. I then take the next 45 minutes screwing them damned thing back down. I'm once again covered in mud....work clothes covered in mud. Since it's already past lunch time, I decide I've had enough crap to deal with today, so I decide before finishing that I will call it day. The morning and early afternoon totally sucked, but that decision to call it day was the best decision ever. It turned out to be a very productive day around the house...and I even got to take a hot shower when it was done.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Signing Your Life Away
Today, yet again, we signed our lives away.
With interests rates having dipped, we decided to refinance to lock in this great rate. Wait a minute... Is this deja vu?
Four months ago, after the Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae fiasco we seized an opportunity to get rid of our "high" rate mortgage, which had previously seemed like a fairly low rate. We locked; we closed; we were quite happy with ourselves. That was September of 2008.
January 2009, a mere 4 months later, what happened? Our amazing rate from 4 months prior suddenly doesn't not seem so good anymore. With the financial markets in a mess, companies lining up for government bailouts like kids for ice cream in the middle of summer, and a crunch for mortgage companies to buy up and close on "good mortgages", we found ourselves in a situation to improve our situation yet again. So what did we do? Since we have no plans to move any time in the foreseeable future, we refinanced yet again... at an even more amazing rate.
Two separate deals in 4 months may sound ridiculous, and to be honest it kind of feels that way when you look at 2 sets of closing costs, yet when I look at the money saved over the life of the loan, it's a no-brainer. Seize the moment! That is what we did and once again we are pretty happy with ourselves.
I dont know about the rest of you, but we're sure doing our part to stimulate this economy...and all we had to do was sign our lives away....twice.
With interests rates having dipped, we decided to refinance to lock in this great rate. Wait a minute... Is this deja vu?
Four months ago, after the Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae fiasco we seized an opportunity to get rid of our "high" rate mortgage, which had previously seemed like a fairly low rate. We locked; we closed; we were quite happy with ourselves. That was September of 2008.
January 2009, a mere 4 months later, what happened? Our amazing rate from 4 months prior suddenly doesn't not seem so good anymore. With the financial markets in a mess, companies lining up for government bailouts like kids for ice cream in the middle of summer, and a crunch for mortgage companies to buy up and close on "good mortgages", we found ourselves in a situation to improve our situation yet again. So what did we do? Since we have no plans to move any time in the foreseeable future, we refinanced yet again... at an even more amazing rate.
Two separate deals in 4 months may sound ridiculous, and to be honest it kind of feels that way when you look at 2 sets of closing costs, yet when I look at the money saved over the life of the loan, it's a no-brainer. Seize the moment! That is what we did and once again we are pretty happy with ourselves.
I dont know about the rest of you, but we're sure doing our part to stimulate this economy...and all we had to do was sign our lives away....twice.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Let it Snow!
We didn't tell the kids last night that school was canceled due to a chance of snow. To be honest, after having lived most of my life in South Carolina, I know that there is typically a huge overreaction when there is the slightest chance of snow. I didn't want to get Jackson and Alex's hopes up for snow when it may not come.
It turns out that my boys were able to see their first snow today. We woke them up at 7:20 to see the flurries start. They spent most of the day going out and playing, then coming in to warm up. They loved it. Oh, and by the way...none of it stuck. It was just fun to be outside while snow was falling. It has fallen off an on all day long, but the ground was too warm so it didn't stick. Who cares? Not my kids. They played basketball most of the day, ran and played, and tried to eat flakes as they fell. It's awesome to see how much fun they have. I hope that soon they'll see real snow on the ground to make snow balls and snow men, but for now this will do. Here are a few shots from today:
It turns out that my boys were able to see their first snow today. We woke them up at 7:20 to see the flurries start. They spent most of the day going out and playing, then coming in to warm up. They loved it. Oh, and by the way...none of it stuck. It was just fun to be outside while snow was falling. It has fallen off an on all day long, but the ground was too warm so it didn't stick. Who cares? Not my kids. They played basketball most of the day, ran and played, and tried to eat flakes as they fell. It's awesome to see how much fun they have. I hope that soon they'll see real snow on the ground to make snow balls and snow men, but for now this will do. Here are a few shots from today:
Thursday, January 15, 2009
The Long Lost Uncle
Tonight the kids went to bed and the Cavs/Bulls game was coming on. Jackson loves Lebron although he doesn't really know anything about him, and has never watched him play. He knows Lebron is good and that kids at school call Jackson by the name Jackson James...because they say that he is so good at basketball. Anyway, we thought we'd let them get up to see who Lebron is. They were impressed. The funniest thing is that Alex didn't call him Lebron. He kept referring to him as Unca Bron. I assume he meant Uncle Bron. We corrected him numerous times, but he kept saying it. Lol. that cracked us up...Jackson and Alex's long lost uncle...Uncle Bron.
Monday, January 12, 2009
The "Other" Guys
Please bear with me. This is a longer post than usual, but one that gets to a point eventually.
I spent my college years at Furman University in Greenville, SC. Furman was not a sprawling campus intermingled with a city. Rather, it sat off on it's own. It was it's own little world, which we aptly dubbed the "Furman Bubble". Sometimes I knew what was happening outside of that bubble. At other times I didn't. Much of what was important to me at that time was in the bubble. Not only that, but my perceptions were often times based on the bubble.
I think in most of our lives, we have our own little bubbles. They may not be physical bubbles, such as I had at Furman. Rather, they are bubbles of our own creation and our perceptions are often based on the bubbles in which we live. Yours may be centered around your job and your coworkers, or maybe it’s based on your faith and consists of church members. Despite the group that people see themselves as being part of, there tends to be a feeling of superiority that accompanies that feeling of belonging. If you happen to be Christian, then most likely you feel that you you’ve got it right and the other religions have it wrong. You feel superior. Same is true if you are of another religion. When you are sitting in your church/temple/mosque… you feel superior because you are right and everyone else is wrong.
Likewise, if you work 40+ hours per week, every week, week in and week out, supporting yourself and your family, then there is a good chance that you are not a fan of rampant government assistance. In fact, you probably look down on it. I've heard many hard working people bashing Welfare and the like. You probably feel superior due to the fact that you can provide for yourself and your family and do not need such help.
All of this made think about how we perceive those outside our bubble and more so, how we often perceive them in a negative light. I think the late Bertrand Russell, most noted as a philosopher and mathematician, but also a social and political theorist put it very well when he said:
In America everybody is of the opinion that he has no social superiors, since all men are equal, but he does not admit that he has no social inferiors, for, from the time of Jefferson onward, the doctrine that all men are equal applies only upwards, not downwards.
Wow. He may have said that decades ago, but it is no less true today.
The idea of this post came about due to an article that a friend sent me; one about a group of forgotten people, one about a group of people that most people see themselves as being better than, an article about some people that rose above their feelings of superiority and treated those other people (at least for that one day) like they belonged. It’s a really good sports story. One that will make you feel good having read it. click here to read about the special game between Grapevine Faith and Gainesville State School
After having read that it made me think about how others have taken a step to help those that most people chose to forget about. Those whom are less fortunate often go without, but thanks to those that participate in community service programs such as Meals on Wheels, or local soup kitchens, the same less fortunate are given the help they need. Just look at how we all come together around Christmas time. In December, like no other time of the year, you see people getting together to contribute to soup kitchens, to participate in Habitat for Humanity and Adopt-A-Family programs. It’s really amazing to see people help those that are in need…even if for some, they only help once a year.
Finally, on a topic close to my heart that goes right along with the previous examples is my wife and her last job. Before moving to corporate law, Stacy was a public defender. When most people hear that, they have a knee-jerk response like an sarcastic yet inquisitive, “oh, so you represent the scum of the Earth?” or a judgmental, “how do you do that…represent those people?”. It’s really amazing how judgmental many people are about others that have been charged with breaking a law. Almost nobody to whom I speak assumes the position of the law, “Innocent until proven guilty”. Rather, they have a response like I previously mentioned. They judge the people that they deem as criminals and see themselves as being better than “those people”. It doesn’t matter the crime. It only matters that “those people” are punished (unless of course, their buddy got a DUI or something like then, then the rules seem to not apply). But I digress. Anyway, I think that although we should all take a less judgmental stance…most do not. It takes a bigger person than most of us to show compassion to those that other people have chosen to forget about. It takes a big heart to defend “those people”. It’s not an easy job, but because of people like Stacy and her colleagues, the job gets done and "those people" are helped. Better yet, people are helped. I have more admiration for Stacy and other compassionate people like her, that either currently or have previously served those in need, than for most people that I have met at any time in my life.
I spent my college years at Furman University in Greenville, SC. Furman was not a sprawling campus intermingled with a city. Rather, it sat off on it's own. It was it's own little world, which we aptly dubbed the "Furman Bubble". Sometimes I knew what was happening outside of that bubble. At other times I didn't. Much of what was important to me at that time was in the bubble. Not only that, but my perceptions were often times based on the bubble.
I think in most of our lives, we have our own little bubbles. They may not be physical bubbles, such as I had at Furman. Rather, they are bubbles of our own creation and our perceptions are often based on the bubbles in which we live. Yours may be centered around your job and your coworkers, or maybe it’s based on your faith and consists of church members. Despite the group that people see themselves as being part of, there tends to be a feeling of superiority that accompanies that feeling of belonging. If you happen to be Christian, then most likely you feel that you you’ve got it right and the other religions have it wrong. You feel superior. Same is true if you are of another religion. When you are sitting in your church/temple/mosque… you feel superior because you are right and everyone else is wrong.
Likewise, if you work 40+ hours per week, every week, week in and week out, supporting yourself and your family, then there is a good chance that you are not a fan of rampant government assistance. In fact, you probably look down on it. I've heard many hard working people bashing Welfare and the like. You probably feel superior due to the fact that you can provide for yourself and your family and do not need such help.
All of this made think about how we perceive those outside our bubble and more so, how we often perceive them in a negative light. I think the late Bertrand Russell, most noted as a philosopher and mathematician, but also a social and political theorist put it very well when he said:
In America everybody is of the opinion that he has no social superiors, since all men are equal, but he does not admit that he has no social inferiors, for, from the time of Jefferson onward, the doctrine that all men are equal applies only upwards, not downwards.
Wow. He may have said that decades ago, but it is no less true today.
The idea of this post came about due to an article that a friend sent me; one about a group of forgotten people, one about a group of people that most people see themselves as being better than, an article about some people that rose above their feelings of superiority and treated those other people (at least for that one day) like they belonged. It’s a really good sports story. One that will make you feel good having read it. click here to read about the special game between Grapevine Faith and Gainesville State School
After having read that it made me think about how others have taken a step to help those that most people chose to forget about. Those whom are less fortunate often go without, but thanks to those that participate in community service programs such as Meals on Wheels, or local soup kitchens, the same less fortunate are given the help they need. Just look at how we all come together around Christmas time. In December, like no other time of the year, you see people getting together to contribute to soup kitchens, to participate in Habitat for Humanity and Adopt-A-Family programs. It’s really amazing to see people help those that are in need…even if for some, they only help once a year.
Finally, on a topic close to my heart that goes right along with the previous examples is my wife and her last job. Before moving to corporate law, Stacy was a public defender. When most people hear that, they have a knee-jerk response like an sarcastic yet inquisitive, “oh, so you represent the scum of the Earth?” or a judgmental, “how do you do that…represent those people?”. It’s really amazing how judgmental many people are about others that have been charged with breaking a law. Almost nobody to whom I speak assumes the position of the law, “Innocent until proven guilty”. Rather, they have a response like I previously mentioned. They judge the people that they deem as criminals and see themselves as being better than “those people”. It doesn’t matter the crime. It only matters that “those people” are punished (unless of course, their buddy got a DUI or something like then, then the rules seem to not apply). But I digress. Anyway, I think that although we should all take a less judgmental stance…most do not. It takes a bigger person than most of us to show compassion to those that other people have chosen to forget about. It takes a big heart to defend “those people”. It’s not an easy job, but because of people like Stacy and her colleagues, the job gets done and "those people" are helped. Better yet, people are helped. I have more admiration for Stacy and other compassionate people like her, that either currently or have previously served those in need, than for most people that I have met at any time in my life.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Game # 3
Jackson and the Lions had their third ball game yesterday. It was once again a fun time, highlighted by Jackson's excitement.
They have a really good rotation system, such that the starting lineup rotates each game and kids get equal playing time. Each 18 minute half is split into 3 six minute periods, in between which substitutions occur. So each player can count on being in about 4 of those 6 period. The only way to miss out on time is to commit two fouls in one six minute period.
Jackson didn't start this game, so he had to sit the first 6 minutes and the kids did well... at a controlled pace. At the first substitution Jackson got into the ball game and the level of intensity quadrupled. He immediately got a rebound, bolted down the court and scored. Our other coach looked at me and said, "wow, this is a totally different game now isn't it?". I agreed and was very proud.
Jackson was playing great defense and attempted to block a shot, but committed a foul. Then 3 minutes later he did it again. Although his intensity is usually a good thing... remember the 2 foul rule. He got benched due to that rule. He was heart broken. Luckily he got right back in when the next period started....and he didn't foul anymore. I felt bad for him, but I also thought it was funny that my child is the only one I've seen be benched for that rule this season.
When I awarded the superlative stars for this game, I gave Jackson the best defense award. Regardless of his fouls, he was intense and playing awesome!
I know I rave over Jackson (and will continue to do so), but all of the kids are really improving. It's amazing how far they've come and I can't wait to see how good they are at season's end.
They have a really good rotation system, such that the starting lineup rotates each game and kids get equal playing time. Each 18 minute half is split into 3 six minute periods, in between which substitutions occur. So each player can count on being in about 4 of those 6 period. The only way to miss out on time is to commit two fouls in one six minute period.
Jackson didn't start this game, so he had to sit the first 6 minutes and the kids did well... at a controlled pace. At the first substitution Jackson got into the ball game and the level of intensity quadrupled. He immediately got a rebound, bolted down the court and scored. Our other coach looked at me and said, "wow, this is a totally different game now isn't it?". I agreed and was very proud.
Jackson was playing great defense and attempted to block a shot, but committed a foul. Then 3 minutes later he did it again. Although his intensity is usually a good thing... remember the 2 foul rule. He got benched due to that rule. He was heart broken. Luckily he got right back in when the next period started....and he didn't foul anymore. I felt bad for him, but I also thought it was funny that my child is the only one I've seen be benched for that rule this season.
When I awarded the superlative stars for this game, I gave Jackson the best defense award. Regardless of his fouls, he was intense and playing awesome!
I know I rave over Jackson (and will continue to do so), but all of the kids are really improving. It's amazing how far they've come and I can't wait to see how good they are at season's end.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Florida Wins!...They're the Champs*
I'm excited. I was cheering for Florida to win it all. I even predicted them to win by 10. If only I was always so smart. :-)
So Florida wins the National Championship...but I am one of "those people". The ones that think it's tainted, that thinks there should be a playoff, that thinks the national champions title has an Astrix. In every other collegiate sport, and every other collegiate football division have playoffs. Why not have Florida win their championship just like teams from every other sport/division? I just dont get it.
Well, I get it if you are a major sponsor of a bowl. You have much money to make. However, if you're not a sponsor, why would anyone favor a bowl system over a playoff system?
Every year there are controversies. This year, it's Utah (or possibly even USC). Without a doubt, Utah proved they deserve a national stage and a shot at the title...but in our current system, they'll never get a shot. It's ridiculous.
I've heard the argument that academically, playoffs would hurt the athletes because it would take too much time. Tell that to the football players in Division III, Division II, and even Division I Playoff Subdivision. I was one of those players and let me tell you, it's no more difficult to juggle academics and athletics in the post season that it is in the regular season.
I've also heard the argument that it is great for these middle tier teams to go out on a winning note. What?! Who really gives a flying rats ass? If you just want to have a feel good ending for a lot of teams, why not have every team play one more game at season's end (a bowl game if you will)...half would go out on a winning note... oh, and by the way, we'd still not know who was the best.
I just dont get it. Perhaps you can enlighten me. Or perhaps you agree with me somewhat. Feel free to pitch your position if you have one...or just listen to me rant.
Congrats to Florida. I'm happy the won....but I have to include the Astrix when I say, "congrats to Florida, the National Champions*".
So Florida wins the National Championship...but I am one of "those people". The ones that think it's tainted, that thinks there should be a playoff, that thinks the national champions title has an Astrix. In every other collegiate sport, and every other collegiate football division have playoffs. Why not have Florida win their championship just like teams from every other sport/division? I just dont get it.
Well, I get it if you are a major sponsor of a bowl. You have much money to make. However, if you're not a sponsor, why would anyone favor a bowl system over a playoff system?
Every year there are controversies. This year, it's Utah (or possibly even USC). Without a doubt, Utah proved they deserve a national stage and a shot at the title...but in our current system, they'll never get a shot. It's ridiculous.
I've heard the argument that academically, playoffs would hurt the athletes because it would take too much time. Tell that to the football players in Division III, Division II, and even Division I Playoff Subdivision. I was one of those players and let me tell you, it's no more difficult to juggle academics and athletics in the post season that it is in the regular season.
I've also heard the argument that it is great for these middle tier teams to go out on a winning note. What?! Who really gives a flying rats ass? If you just want to have a feel good ending for a lot of teams, why not have every team play one more game at season's end (a bowl game if you will)...half would go out on a winning note... oh, and by the way, we'd still not know who was the best.
I just dont get it. Perhaps you can enlighten me. Or perhaps you agree with me somewhat. Feel free to pitch your position if you have one...or just listen to me rant.
Congrats to Florida. I'm happy the won....but I have to include the Astrix when I say, "congrats to Florida, the National Champions*".
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
I Love Technology
I used to think that a phone was a phone. If you can call, that is good enough. My perceptions have transformed over the past couple years. It was a multi-step process.
Step One - A few years back I had a really old, basic phone. I only made calls, but texting was the rage so when it was time for a new phone I looked for a phone that made that easy.
Step Two - Probably 3-4 years ago I upgraded my phone to the LG enV. I loved the additional texting capabilities.
Step Three - Texting was no longer the only item to have, so I purchased the data access plan for my phone. The interfaced totally sucked, but I had the ability to check my email, check movie times, and keep current on the news. That was enough for me....at least for the moment.
Step Four - I see the commercials for these cool new phones with actual web browsers for portable devices (iPhone, Blackberry, Q, etc...), not like the antiquated tab based browser my enV employs. After seeing those commercials, actually checking out some of the phones and their newer browsers and the user friendliness of their interfaces, mine then sucked by comparison.
Step Five - Yesterday I acquired a Blackberry, transferred my service, and wow! Queue the music for the heavenly sounds with a bright light shining from my new phone. It is awesome. Not only do I have texting, but I have Internet browsing with and actual browser, which is scrollable by a mouse! I have an awesome interface directly to my GMail without having to open a browser and navigate to the site. The same is true of the facebook interface. All of that and it takes no time to load. I instant access. I'm totally sold and there's no looking back.
Step Six - Contentment.
Step Seven - Realization that this cool new phone not only has a data plan, but get this: it can make and receive calls too. Amazing. :-)
Step One - A few years back I had a really old, basic phone. I only made calls, but texting was the rage so when it was time for a new phone I looked for a phone that made that easy.
Step Two - Probably 3-4 years ago I upgraded my phone to the LG enV. I loved the additional texting capabilities.
Step Three - Texting was no longer the only item to have, so I purchased the data access plan for my phone. The interfaced totally sucked, but I had the ability to check my email, check movie times, and keep current on the news. That was enough for me....at least for the moment.
Step Four - I see the commercials for these cool new phones with actual web browsers for portable devices (iPhone, Blackberry, Q, etc...), not like the antiquated tab based browser my enV employs. After seeing those commercials, actually checking out some of the phones and their newer browsers and the user friendliness of their interfaces, mine then sucked by comparison.
Step Five - Yesterday I acquired a Blackberry, transferred my service, and wow! Queue the music for the heavenly sounds with a bright light shining from my new phone. It is awesome. Not only do I have texting, but I have Internet browsing with and actual browser, which is scrollable by a mouse! I have an awesome interface directly to my GMail without having to open a browser and navigate to the site. The same is true of the facebook interface. All of that and it takes no time to load. I instant access. I'm totally sold and there's no looking back.
Step Six - Contentment.
Step Seven - Realization that this cool new phone not only has a data plan, but get this: it can make and receive calls too. Amazing. :-)
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Projects Never Go As Planned
Today I had two projects planned and neither went as planned.
I "finished" the concrete job on my porch. I put that in quotes because I hope that was the last of the concrete. If it dried well, I would be done. However, I had not planned on the humidity, and the concrete didn't really dry. On top of that we're expecting rain tonight. That sucks. I'd hate for my effort today to be for nothing. But I'll keep my fingers crossed. If it turns out well, I'll only have to seal it this week. Let's hope it works out.
My next task was to hang a chandelier. We were sick of our light fixture in our entrance way and had our eye on another one at Lowe's. Well, last week we finally bought it. Today was the day to install. We intended it to hang high so the intention was to use only one link in the chain. What should have taken 15 minutes drug on much, much.....much longer. After breaking the ground wire and fumbling around forever with short wires we got the dang thing hung... but there was one problem. It hung too low. So low that our door hit it as the door opened and closed. So we had to "rig" it. Rather than using a link of chain, we rigged a huge nut an bolt to hold it up high. It's definitely a rig job that we'll have to fix later, but it's high enough to let the door open and close and it looks a hell of a lot better than before. Our 15 minute project ended up taking about 2 hours and 15 minutes. Ugh. That sucks, but it's done (for now).
Here is the finished product.
And a close up of the bolt! lol.
I "finished" the concrete job on my porch. I put that in quotes because I hope that was the last of the concrete. If it dried well, I would be done. However, I had not planned on the humidity, and the concrete didn't really dry. On top of that we're expecting rain tonight. That sucks. I'd hate for my effort today to be for nothing. But I'll keep my fingers crossed. If it turns out well, I'll only have to seal it this week. Let's hope it works out.
My next task was to hang a chandelier. We were sick of our light fixture in our entrance way and had our eye on another one at Lowe's. Well, last week we finally bought it. Today was the day to install. We intended it to hang high so the intention was to use only one link in the chain. What should have taken 15 minutes drug on much, much.....much longer. After breaking the ground wire and fumbling around forever with short wires we got the dang thing hung... but there was one problem. It hung too low. So low that our door hit it as the door opened and closed. So we had to "rig" it. Rather than using a link of chain, we rigged a huge nut an bolt to hold it up high. It's definitely a rig job that we'll have to fix later, but it's high enough to let the door open and close and it looks a hell of a lot better than before. Our 15 minute project ended up taking about 2 hours and 15 minutes. Ugh. That sucks, but it's done (for now).
Here is the finished product.
And a close up of the bolt! lol.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
What to Expect in the Year to Come
2008 was a good year for me. Sure, the economy tanked and my 401k lost about 1/3 but besides that fact, 2008 was a very good year from my perspective.
Looking back I saw a lot happen last year.
Jackson made the transition from kindergarten to first grade and with that transition I saw him change from a child that was in class because he had to be to one that enjoyed learning. I'm most impressed by his reading, which has progressed by leaps and bounds. Meanwhile he has turned into quite the little athlete. We've always played sports at home, but he has really become interested in everything sports. In fact he is in his first organized league right now (Upward Basketball) and is doing wonderfully. I'm so proud of how he's progressed both academically and athletically in the past year.
Alex, who used to be Jackson's little brother has really blossomed into his own person. He is one of the coolest kids at the daycare. Everybody loves Alex. Meanwhile, his thirst for learning far exceeds his brother's at that age. In fact, one of Alex's highlights of each night is to watch Jackson do his homework (and to try to do it himself). I'm very proud of both of them.
Also during 2008 Stacy and I both made advancement in our jobs and are very happy with how that is progressing. We are in a good place professionally and as everyone knows, when things are going well at work it spills into the rest of your life. While improving professionally, we also both improved ourselves physically. We both lost a lot of weight last year to become much more healthy. Meanwhile, we became running enthusiasts this year. We had both run in the past, but we were not devoted to it as we are now. It seems that we're really on the right track and it all started in 2008.
In addition to our personal lives, our family really had much interest in the presidential race of the past year and we couldn't be happier with the result. I truly believe as a nation, we made the best choice and will be in good hands in the foreseeable future, and as we all know that is very important with the mess that our economy is in.
As I said before, 2008 was a good year. What can we expect for 2009?
I hope that both Jackson and Alex continue to progress and excel. I can't wait to see how far they've come by this time next year.
I hope that Stacy and continue to thrive professionally and with our pursuits in running. We already have 3 road races scheduled and plan to do about 1 per month. I am excited to see our times get better and better. Not to mention, we both really enjoy running.
Although, not immediately, I do expect the economy to make an upward turn... at least by the second quarter of 2009. I will be happy to see that happen....even if gas prices rise as a consequence. :-)
These are things that I expect. Yet I know that some of the biggest things in our lives each year, we never see coming. I don't know what to expect, but I'm excited to see what happens and will welcome it with open arms.
I'll end this in much the same way I ended my last post. Happy 2009. I really hope that this year will be worse than all those yet to come, yet better than any we've experienced thus far.
Looking back I saw a lot happen last year.
Jackson made the transition from kindergarten to first grade and with that transition I saw him change from a child that was in class because he had to be to one that enjoyed learning. I'm most impressed by his reading, which has progressed by leaps and bounds. Meanwhile he has turned into quite the little athlete. We've always played sports at home, but he has really become interested in everything sports. In fact he is in his first organized league right now (Upward Basketball) and is doing wonderfully. I'm so proud of how he's progressed both academically and athletically in the past year.
Alex, who used to be Jackson's little brother has really blossomed into his own person. He is one of the coolest kids at the daycare. Everybody loves Alex. Meanwhile, his thirst for learning far exceeds his brother's at that age. In fact, one of Alex's highlights of each night is to watch Jackson do his homework (and to try to do it himself). I'm very proud of both of them.
Also during 2008 Stacy and I both made advancement in our jobs and are very happy with how that is progressing. We are in a good place professionally and as everyone knows, when things are going well at work it spills into the rest of your life. While improving professionally, we also both improved ourselves physically. We both lost a lot of weight last year to become much more healthy. Meanwhile, we became running enthusiasts this year. We had both run in the past, but we were not devoted to it as we are now. It seems that we're really on the right track and it all started in 2008.
In addition to our personal lives, our family really had much interest in the presidential race of the past year and we couldn't be happier with the result. I truly believe as a nation, we made the best choice and will be in good hands in the foreseeable future, and as we all know that is very important with the mess that our economy is in.
As I said before, 2008 was a good year. What can we expect for 2009?
I hope that both Jackson and Alex continue to progress and excel. I can't wait to see how far they've come by this time next year.
I hope that Stacy and continue to thrive professionally and with our pursuits in running. We already have 3 road races scheduled and plan to do about 1 per month. I am excited to see our times get better and better. Not to mention, we both really enjoy running.
Although, not immediately, I do expect the economy to make an upward turn... at least by the second quarter of 2009. I will be happy to see that happen....even if gas prices rise as a consequence. :-)
These are things that I expect. Yet I know that some of the biggest things in our lives each year, we never see coming. I don't know what to expect, but I'm excited to see what happens and will welcome it with open arms.
I'll end this in much the same way I ended my last post. Happy 2009. I really hope that this year will be worse than all those yet to come, yet better than any we've experienced thus far.
New Year
Today is the first day of the new year. I expected to watch football all day yesterday and today. Instead, I spent yesterday playing with the kids and working around the house and in the yard. Although that was not my original intention, it was very fulfilling. Today was more of the same. We have watched part of the both the USC/Iowa and Clemson/Nebraska games in between our work and play. I do want to watch the entire Rose Bowl, but who knows if that plan will plan out. Anyway, I've enjoyed the little football I've actually sat down to watch and I feel good about what I've gotten done.
What I've done:
Raked the entire back yard... doesn't sound like much, but it had been a long time...
Painted two rooms.
Took down Christmas decorations.
Laid cement on the sagging porch.
Ran 4 miles.
Played basketball with the kids.
Played football with the kids.
Played Monopoly Junior with the kids.
Ok, I have to go to watch the end of the Clemson game...and I mean ACTUALLY WATCH this time.
It's been a good two days. A good end to 2008 and a good start to 2009. May this year be worse than all future years to come, yet better than any we've experienced thus far.
What I've done:
Raked the entire back yard... doesn't sound like much, but it had been a long time...
Painted two rooms.
Took down Christmas decorations.
Laid cement on the sagging porch.
Ran 4 miles.
Played basketball with the kids.
Played football with the kids.
Played Monopoly Junior with the kids.
Ok, I have to go to watch the end of the Clemson game...and I mean ACTUALLY WATCH this time.
It's been a good two days. A good end to 2008 and a good start to 2009. May this year be worse than all future years to come, yet better than any we've experienced thus far.
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